poliscigal

It's probably a good idea to start out a bit more professional, but by the end of the semester I'm in jeans, a t-shirt and a cardigan.

Given the schools that you are looking at, I think that the methods courses are much more important for you. You can combine your methods training with your honors research projects to have a nice qualitative writing sample to submit with your applications as well. You might also make some good connections for future letters of recommendation that would be able to speak to your ability to do rigorous qualitative work.

You will soon learn that political scientists are a poorly dressed group. You'll be just fine with business casual. On my visits, I went with jeans and nice tops and was just fine. I think that the only way that you'd receive comments is if you were overdressed, in a suit and the such.

And not every place has you staying with grad students, many will reserve rooms at local hotels.

Not every school has a typical visit day, however. Some will allow you to schedule during a time that's good for you, typically a weekday. Most will provide some type of stipend, although you will likely have to submit your receipts and wait to receive reimbursement.

UIUC admissions are going out as we speak. Obviously, not this late at night, but people are beginning to be notified via phone.